From Booklist
Acclaimed horror author Charnas gathers several of her best stories as well as a new novella and two new essays in this inventive collection. The opener, "Beauty of the Opera; or, The Phantom Beast," reimagines the ending of
Phantom of the Opera: what if Christine had stayed with the Phantom? Charnas' Christine is shrewd enough to bargain the Phantom down to five years of marriage, but during that time she finds her feelings for him growing complicated. In "Evil Thoughts," a woman's petty thoughts are represented by hideous mushrooms in her front yard; try as she might, she is unable to eradicate either mushrooms or thoughts. "Advocates," a collaboration with Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, brings together Charnas' vampire villain, Wayland, and Yarbro's hero of the ages, Saint-Germain. Charnas addresses writing in the two essays: in one, she struggles to turn a novella into a play; in the other, she wrestles with getting her ideas across in her writing. This imaginative compilation ably showcases Charnas' creativity and talent.
Kristine HuntleyCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
"Exhibits the author at her wide-ranging best." -- Asimov's Science Fiction. "There are no lightweight tales here... There's the flavor of Bradbury, a touch of Stephen King and a dash of Larry Niven..." -- SFRevu. "Suzy McKee Charnas is one of the reasons why, when I first discovered science fiction and fantasy, I loved it." -- Andi Shechter, January Magazine. "A deep, dark, yet highly erotic world..." -- In The Library Reviews. "Every story and essay in this volume is mesmerizing." -- BookLoons.com. "Charnas' writing is outstanding." -- SF Signal. "Charnas clearly demonstrates her control of her craft by intertwining classic works of art into the settings of her modern story lines. Whether you are a lover of vampires and other ghouls of the night, or you are looking for an intelligent character-driven suspense, you will certainly want to add 'Stagestruck Vampires' to your collection." -- About.com. "Eclectic and original...an intoxicating mix of exhilaration and terror." -- Horror-web.com.
